A review by readingoverbreathing
The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell

4.0

"Now there is something touching in the sight of that little creature entombed in such a place, and moving about herself like a spirit, especially when you think that the slight, still frame encloses a force of strong, fiery life, which nothing has been able to freeze or extinguish."

Upon the death of her dear friend, [a:Elizabeth Gaskell|1413437|Elizabeth Gaskell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1223499865p2/1413437.jpg] was asked to write a biography on fellow novelist [a:Charlotte Brontë|1036615|Charlotte Brontë|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1335001351p2/1036615.jpg], the woman whose books had so widespread an impression on the public, that half the country of Britain spent half a decade trying to learn her identity.
What resulted was a biographical masterpiece, the very first of its kind to be written about a woman by a woman. One hundred fifty years later, Gaskell's outstanding work, written with such careful, thorough, researched detail, still stands as a classic on its own and as a testament to one of the most brilliant minds of the nineteenth century.

This is such a unique read because of the perspective Gaskell really provides, as someone who knew Charlotte quite well. And not only does she offer her own insights, but those of many Charlotte came into contact with, who were always left with a strong impression of "that little creature" as a quiet force of nature.

Though I do think some parts unnecessarily dragged on and on with little purpose, Elizabeth still did a marvelous job in attempting to capture the essence of her friend in a way that no other work ever could.